


Working It Out

by amyfortuna



Category: Pearl Harbor
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-05-08
Updated: 2001-05-08
Packaged: 2017-10-09 08:57:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/85375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyfortuna/pseuds/amyfortuna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened in the firelight/sunset scene after the camera left?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Working It Out

"You've always tried to protect me," Danny said, sitting down on the log next to Rafe. "But I want to go on this mission, Rafe, I want to go."

Rafe nodded, biting his lip. "I know you do. But inside something is screaming at me not to let you."

"As though you could stop me," Danny said.

"You're right, I couldn't," Rafe said. "Or, at least," he paused, "I won't try."

For a few minutes they stared at the dying fire and the dying sunset, each of them wrapped up in his own thoughts. It was Danny who spoke again at last, hesitating.

"Rafe, I didn't speak quite right just a few minutes ago, about Evelyn. I don't know how to say this, but I meant to say that I hoped you didn't love her more than you love me, not that she loved you more than me."

Rafe turned to face Danny. "I'm a little confused here."

Danny laughed nervously. "Rafe, I, uh, I love you."

Rafe looked even more puzzled. "Well, yes, of course you do, that's not a secret. We're best friends, have been since we were kids, and no one breaks that up, not even ourselves."

Danny smiled. "Thanks for the words. But that wasn't what I meant. I meant that Evelyn's nothing to me, beside you. It's true that I'd never felt that way about any girl before, but the reason I felt like that about her was because she was yours!"

The words had come out in a rush, and Rafe had to strain to catch them all in the soft breeze.

"You loved her because you couldn't love me?" Rafe still didn't sound as though he entirely understood.

"Yes!" Danny slid over beside Rafe, sitting on the white sand next to the fire. "That's right. I love _you_. I love her too, but if you love her, that's okay, I wish you well and I'll never say anything about loving her or you again."

"No, wait." Rafe caught Danny's hand in his own. "Tell me."

Danny looked up with a soft smile on his face. "Ever since we were kids and you stood up for me when my dad hit me that time, I've loved you. It about broke my heart when you went away to England, and nearly killed me when I heard that you were dead. And then Evelyn -- I could talk about you with her. I told her so many stories about when we were kids...do you want me to go on?"

Rafe was sitting still with Danny's hand in his own, eyes downcast. "Yes, go on. Tell me everything."

"And then I -- I don't know what happened. I started feeling all dizzy and fuzzy inside. I'd only ever felt that way with you. The thought came to me that Evelyn was almost a part of you, the lover you left behind, while I was only your friend. And then I thought that maybe I could pretend I was you and do the things you would have done with her. So I took her up in the airplane to see the Pearl Harbor sunset. When we got back," he paused, taking a breath, "it must have been the moonlight or something. Touching her was like touching you, I remember thinking to myself. The next morning she knew it was a mistake, but I didn't. I didn't think it was wrong until I found out you were alive."

Danny took another gasping breath, half-choked with silent sobs, and covered Rafe's hand with his own. "Please forgive me."

Rafe reached out with his free hand and pulled Danny up beside him and into a hug. "There's nothing to forgive. You didn't do anything wrong. You didn't. I just got mad, that's all. You've never been a lousy friend, I promise."

Rafe could feel Danny nod against his chest. "Thank you, Rafe," he whispered. They did not move apart.

The night had completely fallen by now, and the fire was dying to embers. The breeze was not cold and the sand was still warm and soft. Gently Rafe slid down off the log, Danny still in his arms, onto the sand.

"Danny, I've been thinking," he whispered. He felt Danny's head move against his shoulder in an indication that he was listening. "We've got to work this out somehow. And I can't see any way of doing it other than --" he bent his head and kissed Danny's lips, gently -- "making everything go full circle. I know you love me. And I know I love you. And we both love Evelyn and she loves both of us."

"What will Evelyn say?" Danny wondered. "And how does that work everything out?"

Rafe swallowed. "You marry Evelyn. I live with you and her. No one knows. And we just love each other. That's all."

"It sounds so easy." Danny looked up into Rafe's face.

"It is," Rafe said, and kissed Danny's forehead, just where the errant lock of hair lay over his face. Danny sighed and wrapped his arms around Rafe, holding on tightly.

For long moments they just held each other, feeling the night breezes surge across their bodies, each feeling his heart thrill at the nearness of the other. The fire hissed in its final death throes, embers glowing red in the darkness beside them.

Neither knew who moved first to kiss; afterward Rafe said it had been Danny and Danny thought it was Rafe. But the coming together of their lips was a simple thing; it was the passion that sparked between them finally finding a home.

Rafe thought Danny's lips were like velvet under his, smooth and soft and so sweet, the perfection of beauty. Worlds clashed and died as they kissed; time spun to a dizzying halt. And their eyes were closed, hearts saying more than words ever could.

Danny was the first to change the pace, quickly sliding his own body over Rafe's on the soft sand, still kissing him. Touching Rafe wasn't like touching a woman, it was somehow safer, more close to home. And for that reason all the more dangerous.

"We could be kicked out of the Air Force for this," Danny whispered, negating the urgency of his words with a lick to Rafe's collarbone.

"As long as no one knows, no one will care," Rafe answered, sliding a hand down Danny's back to the gentle curve of his ass.

And words were forgotten for the gentle slide of body against body and the muffled ecstatic cries of two lovers lost to passion.

Much later, they lay in each other's arms, still tingling with joy and happiness. "It will work out," Danny whispered.

"Everything will be all right," Rafe answered.


End file.
